The Best Decision
by melishade4ever
Summary: As Peter is dying on the cross, he remembers the day where it all began and wonders: was leaving his old life to follow Jesus really the best decision?


Peter kept gasping for air as blood trickled down from his feet and hands. He moved his eyes to see the rough and dirty ground beneath him. He tried gasping for air as the blood in his body was rushing to his head.

They finally decided. After the Pharisees seized him for preaching Jesus' word, they decided that he would be crucified like Jesus was. The only difference: he would be crucified upside down.

Peter mentally chuckled to himself. Even after all the miracles Jesus and the rest of them have done, the Pharisees still stick to the old traditions. He honestly believed that the Pharisees just wanted to keep their fame and glory and riches to themselves, instead of helping the ones who needed Jesus and God, which were many.

As Peter was slowly dying, he reflected back on his life and where he was now. He honestly didn't have to be here. He could've played it safe; taken the easy road and possibly live in peace.

_"Follow me,"_

Peter finally asked himself the big question. Was leaving the easy road really the best decision?

* * *

_Simon sighed as he sat within his boat on the harbor of the lake. The boat slightly rocked as he rested his arms over the edge and looked up at the sky. He was bored!_

_He honestly couldn't believe that this was his live. He ate fish, he caught fish, he sold fish, fish, Fish, FISH! He mentally screamed in his head. He couldn't take this!_

_Simon felt the boat move and the wood creak as he turned to see his partners and friends: James and John, climb into the boat with nets and ropes._

_"What took you so long?" Simon demanded._

_"There's a large crowd near the harbor," John answered, "I think it's a testimony from a rabbi, cause the other fishermen are listening too."_

_Simon looked from the boat to see a medium-sized crowd surrounding someone on the shore. He even noticed some fishermen walking up to the crowd and groaned in irritation._

_"We have jobs here in the hot sun with little fish in the lake," Simon stated, "If the rabbi honestly wanted to preach he should've done so at a temple."_

_"Let's just see if we can catch some fish," John said._

_Simon sighed as he stood up and cracked his back. "Alright,"_

_James grabbed the oars and sat down in the middle of the boat. Simon held onto the rope of the sail while John grabbed another set of oars and the two brothers began rowing away from the shore._

_Simon looked out towards the lake before him as he felt the wind softly hit his face. Was this really the life that was set out for him?_

_Simon yelped as the boat suddenly came to a stop in the middle of the lake. He looked down at James and John to see them staring at someone._

_"What the heck?!" Simon yelled._

_"Simon, did you invite someone else to fish with us?" James asked._

_"No," Simon answered._

_"Then who's that?" James asked as he pointed behind him._

_Simon turned around to see a man dressed in white and slight brown sitting at the end of the boat. His skin was tan with a little dirt at his fingers. He had brown curly hair with a beard to match, and, dare he say it, beautiful blue eyes._

_"Hello," he greeted._

_"Son of a-" Simon yelped as his head slammed into the pole of the sail, causing the boat to move._

_"How did you get here?" Simon demanded._

_"I got here through the docks Peter," he answered._

_"No you didn't" Simon retorted, "And my names not Peter,"_

_"I came here when you were preparing to sail," he said._

_"Simon he's the same guy who was preaching at the docks," John informed him._

_Simon looked back at the rabbi and glared at him while he gave a small smile._

_"So what now?" Simon demanded, "You're going to preach to us too?"_

_"No," the rabbi answered, "I just want you to throw your nets in the water."_

_The three fishermen looked at the rabbi like he was insane. There hasn't been any fish in the water for days, and this man wanted them to throw their nets in the water._

_"Are you kidding me?" John demanded, "There hasn't been any fish for days!"_

_"Alright," the rabbi said. The rabbi then stood up and grabbed the net next to James. The Rabbi walked over to the side of the boat and put his foot on the edge._

_Simon widened his eyes at what he was about to do: he was going to jump in the water. Simon reacted and grabbed the Rabbi and pulled him back in the boat, causing them to fall over and shake the boat._

_"Are you crazy?!" Simon yelled._

_"No," the rabbi answered rather innocently, "I was going to fish."_

_"You don't jump in the water to fish!" John yelled, "Do you even know how to fish?"_

_"No," the rabbi answered, "My Father was a carpenter."_

_Simon and John deadpanned while James looked in confusion._

_"John, gab the net," Simon instructed, "We're fishing."_

_"But there's barely any fish in the water," James retorted._

_"Either we fish or he jumps in," Simon proclaimed as he pointed at the Rabbi._

_James sighed as he got up and grabbed the other nets and threw it over the boat with Simon and John following the suite. They then tied the ends of the nets to the boat and waited for the fish to come._

_"Sorry, rabbi, but there's no fish," James apologized, "Let's just pull up the nets and-"_

_The three fishermen yelped while the rabbi sat patiently as the boat abruptly rocked._

_Simon looked over at one side of the boat and widened his eyes in shock._

_Fish, thousands of fish filled up the nets that it began breaking. James checked the other net and began laughing as fish filled up the net as well._

_"Fish!" John exclaimed, "It's fish!"_

_"Well don't just stand there brother, help me pull it in!" James smiled._

_Simon smiled with excitement as he tried pulling the net in. He gasped as he felt the boat beginning to break under pressure._

_"Hey!" John called out the nearest boat, "We need help over here!"_

* * *

_Fishermen began laughing as they helped Simon, James, and John haul the fish onto the docks. The three looked in amazement at their nets as some of the fish were still moving._

_"I can't believe it," James said, "There were no fish in that lake. How could hundreds of fish just appear?"_

_Simon caught something at the corner of his eye and turned to see the Rabbi walking off the docks._

_"Hey!" Simon called out as he ran towards him. The rabbi stopped at the shore and turned to face him._

_"You are no ordinary man, are you Lord?" Simon asked._

_"That's very observant of you Peter," the Lord remarked._

_"It's Simon," he corrected, "And what about your father?"_

_"My earthly father was a carpenter," the Lord explained, "My real Father is the creator,"_

_"Lord-"_

_"You may call me Jesus," He said._

_"Alright then," Simon began, "How were you able to do that with the fish? I'm a sinner so I can't do it at all."_

_"Follow me," Jesus said._

_Simon raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"_

_"Follow me, Peter," Jesus instructed, "and I shall make you fishers of men."_

_And with that, Jesus walked off._

_Simon looked at Jesus before looking back at his boat. This was it. This was probably his only chance to escape this life, to serve something or do something greater._

_But what about James and John? What would they do? Simon looked back at the two to see them looking at him with confusion._

_"Simon?" James questioned._

_Simon smiled. "I quit!"_

_Simon then ran after Jesus while the two brother looked at each other in surprise._

_"Simon, wait up!" John called as they ran after him, leaving their miraculous catch of fish._

* * *

Peter could feel himself losing his conscious as the memory finished. What did he lose that day?

He lost his job, a home, the respect of others, the chance of ever seeing the people he cared about, and now, his life.

But what did he gain from leaving that life?

He gained a new name, a teacher, miracles like no other left and right, thanks, his teacher getting pissed off, the smiles of children, the worst moment of his life, love, joy, wisdom, kindness, redemption, angels, the kingdom of Heaven, and soon, an eternal seat there with his Lord.

Peter let out a weak chuckle. The flesh really is limited.

Peter struggled to lift his head towards the slightly cloudy sky. Peter then gave a big smile as the light began emitting from the clouds, shining down on him.

"Best…dec-" Peter gasped as he felt pain in his head.

"Decision…ever…" Peter breathed as he closed his eyes and lost consciousness as his soul returned to Heaven.


End file.
